sending...

So, I was in that tote bag swap, and I packed up my tote and posted it off. There may have been a couple of extra bits included... It is possible, for example, that one of these landed into the bag,













I had also made a couple of these pincushions to attach to the sewing machine lately, so  this one hopped into the bag....

 and then it felt like this dumpling should get involved as well... I am not quite sure why....

and then, one or two scraps of fabric somehow jumped out of my hands and tucked into pockets, too....

So a somewhat stuffed bag went off in the post... What do you mean? You haven't seen the bag proper yet??

Ohhh... well... How about this then?


with a zip pocket on the front.






















but not on the back,















and a variety of internal pockets to go at.
This went in the post a week ago, and I am impatient for it to arrive at it's destination. I do hope my partner loves it....













linking with Scraptastic Tuesday!

Woopsie!

Oh dear, I seem to have been awol! I have done stuff, Honest!


We had a weekend in London, as two of our children now live there. this trip included a trip to Goldhawk Road.

If any of you do not know about Goldhawk Road, and live remotely near West London, and make clothing- GO THERE! It is the home of a whole heap of fabric shops all in one place. We missed out about three or four of them, but still went into more than a dozen!

I wanted more pretty fabric for a few T-shirts. I have hunted for pretty T-shirting that is not babyish, and failed to find it locally. But in Goldhawk Road, I scored! Whoo-hoo!
Two rather William Morris-y prints, and a more amorphous print.
This last one has already transformed into a top, as you can see, below, and I am chuffed to bits, as they say!

and then a couple of wovens, the green to turn into culottes, when I get there, and the other.... well, shall we just say, it declined to be abandoned in the shop?/


 I am very happy with my buys!

There is another T-shirt fabric, in rich greens and purples... It will also happen in due course.

 I also made the bee blocks for March. made rather more promptly than posted... Clever blocks asked for by lovely Jo, who plans a Siblings Together quilt, I believe.

The blocks all together look great!











And then there is a swap... That Tote bag swap.... I have it almost together now, Black and white and One colour!




A zippy pocket,  and some slippy pockets,







Putting it together somehow those slip pockets in the lining decided to go in upside down...

 that seam ripper is facing the gap left at the bottom of the bag, for turning right sides out at the end...

Do you think it is a fashion that may catch on, given time?









and here is the bag all sewn together!I do hope my partner likes it! Do you think she will?

At last!

 I decided, rather than one or two other things, which I should have been doing, I would make the lining for this bag, which has been hanging around a while.

So, I did it, more or less on auto- pilot, and made the lining, zip pocket one side, slip pocket the other side,  boxed the bottom, no problem, put together the outer, attached handles, sewed lining and bag together, turn through, topstitch, and press.

Ok, so let me take a few photos.


On the Left, the applique side,  

 On the Right, the pieced side,

 That zip went in so neatly...

 Slip pockets, fine,














Just pressing, and open zip, to take a photo.....


WHAT! I only forgot to sew the pocket together after inserting that zip!





No, I know, you would never do a thing like that, and have to unpick the seam so you could make that pocket into a pocket...

but I did!

All sorted now...

And we have a little more harvest.

I almost think this courgette requires a name!

and how do you like my odd shaped cucumbers...

Almost a duck!

A few finishes..

 Brown is not everyone's favourite colour. I know that. You know that. But put brown with pretty turquoisey blue, and the brown makes that blue sing!

I think this looks really pretty, and I am very pleased with the result. Just a straightforward and completely unbiased opinion, you understand. Seeing it cold and clear, and without prejudice of any kind.


And this is a lovely rich warm brown, too, and I totally love the combination.

Let us hope the mystery recipient likes it just a little bit too!

Well, I added a little extra. I made this little fabric basket, piping it above and below the panel, just do not look too close at the stitching round the piping... It is fine from the inside, perhaps because I did it from the inside. The outside is less neat.. But such is life!

And it has been posted off to pastures new!

yes I did take those threads off, and press the whatevers out of it first!

And yes, that ironing board cover is starting to look sad. again. Hmm.




And for my next trick?

Wait and see!

Wednesday works..

 Managed to finish this side of a bag, which has been planned for sooo long, I have another in the planning, too- more of that when I get there.. eventually.

And then, the Stash bee block for August also happened. The brief was, to make a churn dash block, with blue as the 'dash' , and 'low volume ' for the rest.











 Of course, I made a fundamental error, and sewed the wrong side to the right side... so the seam ripper came out to play. More than once.

And having decided to use a light blue, rather than a deeper blue, I was a bit hard put to get a good contrast. This will have to do.









On the plus side, we ( I ) made the first batch of damson jam last night.
 our own damsons.
I counted them in.    90.

I counted the stones out.  91.   where did the extra one come from??

So the tally so far this year is,
Raspberry, tayberry, gooseberry, damson, courgette and ginger, and redcurrant jelly!

The first flowers are on the 'vine' tomatoes, and the cucumbers are swelling nicely. And... I picked ( and ate) the very first of our own raspberries for this year.

 

A full cupboard of preserves, and enough to give a few away. Very satisfactory!

So how is your harvest?

 

Fabric, to skirt ON, 2 hours!

I needed to make a skirt. Specifically, a circular skirt.
Now, I have made many circular skirts in my time, but I do not think I made one for me before.
So, I double checked all my calculations, and ran them past my OH, and he agreed, before I went for it!
I have had the fabric sitting waiting, for a couple of weeks. I got it at Abakhan, so it was not very expensive. However, when I got it, I knew I was planning to make a circular skirt, but I hadn't worked out just what quantity I would need. So I made a mad guess, and went for it.
If I had done the working out, I would have got about another 6", so, my skirt is slightly shorter than it would normally have been..

Oh, did you want to see my new skirt? on?

Oh, alright then, here goes

 Blame my OH for these two... I am just showing off a bit!

And he chopped off my hand!

Anyone going to the retreat, who wants to have a go, can just let me know!

It is surprisingly easy and quick, and very satisfying.

And this super card arrived this week, too! Thank you Caroline, That is such a pretty card! I guess you quite liked your tote, then!

 This is the third tote for the swap. Variation on a theme here.




























 It is not necessarily a good colour match here, that is really a very vivid green, and not a turquoise at all!

 The obligatory pockets












Including a zippy pocket.

The three together. I hope these will pass muster on the day.

Now on to the next on my list...

Swap tote arrived!

 Oh look what I was lucky enough to receive!
This lovely parcel arrived from a wonderful swap partner, Liverpool feminist you can link to her flickr stream,  I do not think she has a blog, so I cannot direct you there, but isn't she a star!

Opening the envelope, I am greeted by some texty prints! What have I just received, about a week ago? texty charms!  and then I get a texty tote! how amazing is that!
 I now think, I have not taken the right photos!

I have an interior pocket, on a creamy lining,

then the texty squares run round the top edge of the tote, which is a deep navy for the body of it, and beautifully put together. Simple, sophisticated design, just perfect!

And then the goodies inside!

 A zippy pouch, with those same texty squares on the front, a cheery red zip- put in perfectly, across the front, and a navy back to it.


This zippy pouch was filled with yet more stuff!

Red and orange pezzy print, that red cross hatched print and three lots of plain colours, two sets of ribbon, and a bar of chocolate!

Now, you tell me, did I not do well out of this one?

I hope she gets as good a package as I got!

Do you do bloglovin?

Curiously enough, several people are already using bloglovin to follow me! I really am thick about these things, but I suspect, it is a next TO DO thing.

So here goes!



Follow my blog with Bloglovin



While I am posting- Tote number two for FQR has  been finished. Somehow I managed to make the back too big- so I had to make another back. So I now have a spare tote back lurking!
The new one looks like this,

and the tote front? 

so, the two so far...


One more to go!

And I know my tote has arrived at it's destination, and get a small idea that it is appreciated by the recipient! Thank you for making sure I know!

I sent a couple of bits with the tote,

just ribbons and stuff, but with a bit of luck, they will come in useful! Favourite colours were lime green and purple, so it makes a very cheery combination. I love purple too, and fell in love with the combination, I may use it again sometime!

Happy tote!



and, as I know my name tag arrived safely, I can show the name!

making progress

At the cost of housework, other things have been getting some attention round here. Who wants to do housework anyway?

So some weeding and planting, two golden courgette plants are now planning to reduce the weeding just here.





while this Graham Thomas rose has decided to play nicely.













And this yellow flag is giving it's share of joy

 near to this allium. I love those clean stars on the heads.


















and, I promised a photo of this 'multiblue' clematis, yesterday


but, just to demonstrate that there is work aplenty left, here is a fine crop of stinging nettles, which grace my front garden!

That is right- they are in the front... Nuff said.





 And the rest of the  day? Tote number two is taking shape. Slowly!







this is one side - finishing touches still to be sorted..

 The other side

and straps..














I am now sorting linings. will I be done tonight? I hope so, but am not confident.
it looks quite purple to me in the photos, butIpromise you, it is a bright blue!

I  am trying to link up to the lovely Lucy. Anyone who doesn't know Lucy- go see her! She is lovely, and great fun.She has asked that instead of a name,we put in either a favourite font, or a letter. So, I have done that!